What have you watched recently: Electric Boogaloo

missingtime · 28-03-2013 1:31pm

Watched Sightseers last night. Its a black comedy about a couple who go caravanning around England. I really didn't quite know what to make of it. Some bits are quite funny and reminded me a little of Hot Fuzz (over the top gore) other bit were downright strange, or I just didnt get them. Something tells me I might be rewarded on re-watching it.

The scene where she's driving and knocks down a pedestrian was priceless. "You're evil you are. Maybe even a witch. Yeah, that’s right. You’re a witch."

Worth a watch if you like black comedies.

Looper007 · 28-03-2013 5:19pm

Casino Royale- The Reboot of a franchise that needed a swift kick in the backside since OHMSS, Thank god it's a classic Bond film that rivals anything Connery did. Daniel Craig shut's up the doubters by making his James Bond every inch the rival of 60's prime Bond, Eva Green is without doubt the most eye catching and best actress to have played a Bond girl. Mads Mikkelssen is awesome as always the Villian but Jesper Christensen as Mr White is even more Scary. The Casino scenes are gripping and the first hour is some of the best scenes in Bond History. For me along with OHMSS, FRWL and Skyfall the best in the Bond series.

Jimmy Iovine · 28-03-2013 5:37pm

Citizen Kane and Once Upon a Time in the West - first time to see either of them. Won't be the last.

Sirsok · 28-03-2013 5:55pm

I watch the crow, was pretty cool was expecting it to be more dark but was a plesent suprise that the main character was a bit more lighthearted

Also watched the watch, was a decent flick to throw on!

McGrath5 · 29-03-2013 1:13pm

The Raid

I only got around to watching this last night, its up on the Irish Netflix.

Well, all I can say is its great entertainment, one of the best films of 2012. I am not really a big fan of martial arts and the like, but it can be very much appreciated in this film.

9/10

Headhunters.

Another Netflix watch. This is a Norweigan subtitled film about an art theif who steals a priceless peice of art from the wrong person.
It is surprisingly good and kept me hooked all the way through to the end.
Another great addition to the Netflix library.

7.5/10

Raiser · 29-03-2013 2:48pm

Alpish wrote: »

Superbad

Watched this for the third or fourth time recently. Found it just as funny this time as the first. Obviously it won't be to everyone's taste as a coming of age gross out comedy but I would say its one of the best in this mould of film.

Can anyone please recommend a few other movies in this league - Superbad seems to get better each time I watch it......

Corkfeen · 29-03-2013 3:36pm

Raiser wrote: »

Can anyone please recommend a few other movies in this league - Superbad seems to get better each time I watch it......

Super is worth a watch. It's a bit dark but t'is an awesome superhero style of comedy. Not exactly Superbad but it would probably entertain you.

MiloYossarian · 29-03-2013 5:14pm

Lady Vengence

Really good.

siblers · 29-03-2013 5:44pm

Raiser wrote: »

Can anyone please recommend a few other movies in this league - Superbad seems to get better each time I watch it......

Hotrod

Tipsy McSwagger · 29-03-2013 7:20pm

A.I.

Mark Kermode recently apologised to Spielberg for bashing this film on release. He watched it again 10 years later and now thinks its a masterpiece. I thought I would do the same thing and Kermode is right, it is a masterpiece. It's beautiful, sad, heartbreaking and a little bit scary. If you didn't like it on its initial release then give it another shot, you will be surprised by just how good it is.

johnny_ultimate · 29-03-2013 10:45pm

Good Vibrations - this portrait of Terri Hooley and his famous Belfast record store / label didn't really come together for me. I did like that they twisted genre tropes around, and presented most victories as bittersweet - despite the filmmaker's admiration for Hooley, his flaws aren't painted over. But it all just seemed flat, and for a film about the social power of music it lacked a spark or passion, failing to find its own groove. Apart from Richard Dormer as Hooley the cast are under utilised and the characters underdeveloped. Visuals are all over the place - the fantastical flourishes (including a pointless drug trip) particularly. Even the music, good as it is, doesn't feel like its utilised particularly imaginatively.

There's a few fun scenes, and the spirit of the real-life musical revolution is hinted at from time to time. But as a whole the film just lacks the passionate teenage kicks that come to dominate the soundtrack. Watchable, but forgettable.

dark crystal · 30-03-2013 12:58am

Watched Flight last night and without having seen it before the Oscars, I have to say Denzel Washington was very unlucky to have lost out to Daniel Day Lewis for Best Actor - he was sublime in this.

I loved this film from beginning to end and the plane crash scene was nothing short of terrifying to watch. Wonderful performances from all involved and it's so good to see Zemeckis making great live action films again.

Highly recommended; 8 out of 10.

DazMarz · 30-03-2013 4:16am

The Incredibles (2004)

Haven't watched this beauty in a while, so I stuck it on tonight. And it is still just as good as I remember it.

It brilliantly lampoons (but with a great deal of endearment and affection) the entire Superhero genre, while also taking stabs (again affectionate ones) at spy, action and thriller films. There are a plethora of famous actors lending their voices to various characters here as well (Craig T. Nelson, Holly Hunter, Jason Lee, Samuel L. Jackson, Elizabeth Pena; just to name a few).

The initial scenes where Mr. Incredible must fit in as an average Joe (pining for the glory days and getting frustrated with "celebrating mediocrity") are just gold. The film whips along, moving from one lush CGI environment to another.

Jason Lee voices the main antagonist with a villainous glee that is palpable. His character is a mishmash of various cinematic baddies, but most notably Erst Stavro Blofeld and Auric Goldfinger from the Bond film series. Syndrome is most definitely one of the best baddies going, for just being such a sheerly unlikeable sonofabitch. But there is at least a reason given for why this is. How, exactly, he has his own private army and private island is left unexplained, though. :rolleyes:

This is most positively not "just a kids' movie", as some have said to me. This is a film that could lay claim to being the "Ultimate Family Film"; it has bright colours and flashy things and big characters to keep the kids happy, with enough darkness and innuendo to keep the adults smiling knowingly.

Brad Bird (the film's director) also steals the show completely as Edna Mode, fashion designer and suit maker to the superheroes.

Absolutely brilliant. Well worth a look.

McGrath5 · 30-03-2013 11:58am

The Bay

This "found footage" film focus's on a small town in Maryland celebrating the 2009 4th of July celebrations.

Things town sour when people start going crazy and breaking out in these rashes that eventaully start consuming their flesh.
Local doctors and police try desperately to call for outside help but find communication is difficult with the outside world due to it been a holiday weekend.

I thought the video calls between the local doctor and the Centre for Disease Control where extremely well done

This is a very well made film, proving that when done correctly, the whole "found footage" genre can be quite engrossing

7/10

Tony EH · 30-03-2013 3:05pm

DazMarz wrote: »

The Incredibles (2004)

Haven't watched this beauty in a while, so I stuck it on tonight. And it is still just as good as I remember it.

It brilliantly lampoons (but with a great deal of endearment and affection) the entire Superhero genre, while also taking stabs (again affectionate ones) at spy, action and thriller films. There are a plethora of famous actors lending their voices to various characters here as well (Craig T. Nelson, Holly Hunter, Jason Lee, Samuel L. Jackson, Elizabeth Pena; just to name a few).

The initial scenes where Mr. Incredible must fit in as an average Joe (pining for the glory days and getting frustrated with "celebrating mediocrity") are just gold. The film whips along, moving from one lush CGI environment to another.

Jason Lee voices the main antagonist with a villainous glee that is palpable. His character is a mishmash of various cinematic baddies, but most notably Erst Stavro Blofeld and Auric Goldfinger from the Bond film series. Syndrome is most definitely one of the best baddies going, for just being such a sheerly unlikeable sonofabitch. But there is at least a reason given for why this is. How, exactly, he has his own private army and private island is left unexplained, though. :rolleyes:

This is most positively not "just a kids' movie", as some have said to me. This is a film that could lay claim to being the "Ultimate Family Film"; it has bright colours and flashy things and big characters to keep the kids happy, with enough darkness and innuendo to keep the adults smiling knowingly.

Brad Bird (the film's director) also steals the show completely as Edna Mode, fashion designer and suit maker to the superheroes.

Absolutely brilliant. Well worth a look.

...and not a sequel in sight. WTF? :rolleyes:

MiloYossarian · 30-03-2013 3:06pm

Grown Ups

After watching Lady Vengence the night before I decided to punish myself with a film that was so bad I swore I'd never watch.

However I quite enjoyed it. I didn't find it uproariously funny but I did find it very pleasant, with just a bunch of friends hanging around and pulling the piss out of eachother. I'm glad I watched it.

DazMarz · 30-03-2013 4:40pm

Tony EH wrote: »

...and not a sequel in sight. WTF? :rolleyes:

Thankfully. Brad Bird has said he won't do a sequel until he can be sure he can do a film that is better than the original. No pressure then, so...

NapoleonInRags · 30-03-2013 5:35pm

The Croods

Superb, kids movie making at its finest.

ButtersSuki · 30-03-2013 7:00pm

Watched Angel Heart and In The Loop yesterday. I remember sneaking in to Angel Heart underage in the cinema and really being amazed at it then. Yesterday was my first view for 26 years and think that was the scariest part - realising it was 26 years since I last saw it! The performances hold up but the story just seems a bit lame now; and some of the stunts and sex scenes just look dated and lame when compared to all that's happened in cinema since. My God Lisa Bonet is so frickin' hot in it though - any male who remembers the Cosby Show will know what I'm talking about. Part of the problem I feel is it's trying to be too many things - thriller, film noir, whodunit, horror. It's worth a watch if you haven't seen it, but I was just a little disappointed with it 2nd time around. i'd still give it a 7/10 though. Worth it to see Mickey Rourke's performance alone.

In the Loop I'd put off watching for ages as I had just so much other stuff I wanted to see beforehand. I really like a lot of Iannucci's stuff (esp. Alan Partridge) but this was just didn't work for me. It is funny in places, and it is interesting, and has a great ensemble cast....but I just felt it was too drawn out and was actually bored in places. For me, if you want to make a Malcolm Tucker movie, make a Malcolm Tucker movie - don't bother with the extras. I'll give it a 5/10 for the performances and the Steve Coogan cameo.

Tony EH · 30-03-2013 7:59pm

DazMarz wrote: »

Thankfully. Brad Bird has said he won't do a sequel until he can be sure he can do a film that is better than the original. No pressure then, so...

Yeh, good luck with that.

briany · 30-03-2013 8:57pm

Premium Rush

Joseph Gordon Levitt plays an NYC bicycle courier who's given a sealed envelope to be delivered across town. Impeding his progress toward that destination is a bent cop played by Michael Shannon who also seems to want whatever it is that JGL is delivering.

A good but formulaic thriller.

Unthinkable

An American Muslim convert and,(not so) incidentally, former army nuclear arms expert (Michael Sheen) has placed three homemade atomic bombs around the U.S. using stolen fissile material. He is placed under custody and it is up to top interrogator 'H' (Samuel L. Jackson) to get their whereabouts before the bombs count down and explode. Aiding him his a conscientious CIA operative, agent Brodie, played by Carrie Anne Moss.

The set up sounds a bit super villain-ish but I thought that this was a very entertaining and tight thriller. Sam Jackson is enjoyable as the sadistic just-doing-my-job interrogator/torturer.

Mary & Max

Mature stop motion dramedy about a lonely 9 year old Australian girl who decides to write to a random address she finds in an American phone book. The person ends up being a 44 year old man from New York, New York and the film is about their correspondence and friendship as the years pass.

Recommended.

Mike Litoris · 30-03-2013 10:38pm

I'm about 30 mins into Identity Thief and I've had enough. Horrendous stuff.

bnt · 30-03-2013 10:41pm

Ben-Hur was on TV today, and I'd never seen it before, so I thought I'd give it a go. It's a spectacular film to look out, with excellent period detail, great soundtrack, and that epic chariot race. That's all very nice, but there are some serious drawbacks to it. The acting is either wooden (Charlton Heston) or cheesy (everyone else), and the storyline is incredibly thin for a film that's over three-and-a-half hours long. I get the impression that the Christian angle is the only reason it got re-made. :rolleyes:

Technocentral · 30-03-2013 10:41pm

Mike Litoris wrote: »

I'm about 30 mins into Identity Thief and I've had enough. Horrendous stuff.

A film by and aimed at morons, so no surprise on you giving it up.

Technocentral · 30-03-2013 10:44pm

bnt wrote: »

Ben-Hur was on TV today, and I'd never seen it before, so I thought I'd give it a go. It's a spectacular film to look out, with excellent period detail, great soundtrack, and that epic chariot race. That's all very nice, but there are some serious drawbacks to it. The acting is either wooden (Charlton Heston) or cheesy (everyone else), and the storyline is incredibly thin for a film that's over three-and-a-half hours long. I get the impression that the Christian angle is the only reason it got re-made. :rolleyes:

You are so right! I loved this as a kid but now as an adult I tried to watch it last year when it was on the box and the story line for such a long film is paper thin, the acting poxy and as you say is just an excuse for the religious propaganda.

Jason Todd · 31-03-2013 12:19am

I watched Zombie Apocalypse and Lockout last weekend.

Zombie Apocalypse has no redeeming features whatsoever, and ordinarily I'll watch anything with zombies in it. Ving Rhames (a million miles away from his good turn in Dawn of the Dead) was the lead and even he was awful. The CGI was terrible, the dialogue laughable and most of the acting was atrocious. Steer well clear.

Lockout on the other hand was great. A 'B' movie that knew it's limitations and accentuated it's positives. A witty script, a charming lead and some decent action. Guy Pearce is said lead, who plays an old-fashioned cop in 2079 who has to take on a mission (to wipe his own slate clean) to rescue the US Presidents daughter on a first-of-it's-kind space prison orbiting Earth which has been taken over by the criminals it was housing. Nothing majorly original, but has a decent supporting cast, like Lennie James (Morgan in the Walking Dead), Maggie Grace (Shannon from Lost) Vincent Regan (300) and Peter Stormare (Abruzzi from Prison Break). Like I said, the dialogue is witty in places and it's one of those movies that does exactly what it says on the tin. The tagline on the case said "Die Hard in space!" I just had to rent it.

mikemac1 · 31-03-2013 12:58am

Goodnight Sweet Wife

Made for TV film about the true story of a man and his pregnant wife who are shot in a rough area of Boston.

The media went hysterical and police went into overdrive over this shooting of a lovely respectable white married couple by a black man.

Except..........

the black shooter never existed and the husband shot his wife in the head and then shot himself in the abdomen to make it look like some randomer did it.

I saw it over a decade a go and decided to give it another go, it's excellent.

Up on youtube

dark crystal · 31-03-2013 1:22am

Just watched Jane Eyre (2011)

Not having read the book, but being somewhat familiar with the plot, I was expecting a bit more of the 'things that go bump in the night' element to the story, however it focused more on the central relationship between Jane and Mr. Rochester instead.

Michael Fassbender and Mia Wasikowska were both excellent in their respective roles and really embodied the characters well. The story drew me in, but 'the big reveal' was a bit of a damp squib.

Still, an enjoyable retelling of a classic tale and the scrumptious Fassbender is always worth a watch; especially in tight breeches

A solid 7 out of 10.

Herb Powell · 31-03-2013 3:13am

johnny_ultimate wrote: »

Good Vibrations - this portrait of Terri Hooley and his famous Belfast record store / label didn't really come together for me. I did like that they twisted genre tropes around, and presented most victories as bittersweet - despite the filmmaker's admiration for Hooley, his flaws aren't painted over. But it all just seemed flat, and for a film about the social power of music it lacked a spark or passion, failing to find its own groove. Apart from Richard Dormer as Hooley the cast are under utilised and the characters underdeveloped. Visuals are all over the place - the fantastical flourishes (including a pointless drug trip) particularly. Even the music, good as it is, doesn't feel like its utilised particularly imaginatively.

There's a few fun scenes, and the spirit of the real-life musical revolution is hinted at from time to time. But as a whole the film just lacks the passionate teenage kicks that come to dominate the soundtrack. Watchable, but forgettable.

Saw this tonight, and I liked it a lot! Though it might be just because I have close family in the north and I love the punk music of that era, so I could relate very easily. I wouldn't write it off anyway, I think it's well worth a look.

johnny_ultimate · 31-03-2013 12:40pm

Herb Powell wrote: »

Saw this tonight, and I liked it a lot! Though it might be just because I have close family in the north and I love the punk music of that era, so I could relate very easily. I wouldn't write it off anyway, I think it's well worth a look.

Yeah I think a lot of people will like it. But to me the story was more interesting than the film, if that makes sense - there were times when it certainly captured the spirit of the era and the character, but as a piece of cinema I just didn't think it came together as well as it could have (overwrought voiceover, inconsistent visuals etc...).

What have you watched recently: Electric Boogaloo

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